Contents

Foreword

May 2017

We wrote to you in November last year on developments relating
to the negotiation of the new
GMS contract in
Scotland and how that fits with our shared vision for wider primary
care transformation. We accompanied that letter with a summary
document that set out the vision and next steps in some more
detail.

Since then, our negotiations continue and the Scottish Local
Medical Committee conference was held in March 2017. We both spoke
to conference and set out more detail on the increasing investment
in general practice and the role it plays in enabling the new role
for
GPs as Expert
Medical Generalists in the community.

The accompanying summary document to this letter updates you on
contract negotiation and the announcements made in March. We
continue to be acutely aware of the pressures facing general
practice. We know additional investment is critical. We have agreed
that this additional investment, in direct support of general
practice, will reach an extra £250 million per year by 2021 -
this is part of the pledge to increase overall annual funding for
primary care by £500 million by 2021/22.

We know improvements are needed now - and are committed to
improving your working conditions. That is why the contract changes
in 2017 include improving sickness pay; better reimbursement for
appraisals and workforce survey and a higher rate for the
GP Retainer Scheme.
And delegates had questions on the Review of Health and Care Public
Holiday Services. The Cabinet Secretary made clear that working on
public holidays will not be made mandatory for
GPs in
Scotland.

At conference, the Vaccinations Transformation Programme was
also announced. This programme will draw in expertise from across
the
NHS to review
and transform how we deliver vaccinations. This programme will
complete within three years. This will help to reduce
GP workload once a
new model can be safely and sustainably operated within
Scotland.

We continue to negotiate wider changes to the
GMS contract.
We intend these negotiations to complete in 2017 to enable a new
contract to be implemented from April 2018. We anticipate fuller
details on the new
GMS contract to
be available in advance of the next
LMC conference
in December 2017. We are jointly agreed that any proposal to
fundamentally change the way
GPs are paid is put
to a vote following Conference.

Our joint ambition for a new role for
GPs as Expert
Medical Generalists in the community is for
GPs to have more
influence in improving the health of local communities. We are
hopeful for the future and commit to further communication once
negotiations are complete.